Harry Browne Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saginaw, Michigan
Monday, July 12, 1982 15:29 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF WITH 35 GAL OF FUEL ABOARD. AFTER ABOUT 128 NAUTICAL MILES, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WHILE LANDING IN A MUDDY CORN FIELD WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED, THE AIRCRAFT SLID A SHORT DISTANCE THEN NOSED OVER. ONE OF THE FIRST PERSONS TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT RECALL SMELLING FUEL. THE NEXT MORNING (AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVERTED ALL NIGHT), HE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND NOTED THAT THE FUEL CAP WAS DANGLING BY ITS CHAIN, BUT HE DID NOT RECALL THE CAP DANGLING ON THE NIGHT BEFORE. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN BROKEN INTO OVER NIGHT AND SEVERAL ARTICLES HAD BEEN REMOVED. AN INSPECTION AND OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1529
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SAGINAW
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport HARRY BROWNE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3SG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 80
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1927
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6444K
NTSB Number CHI82DA246
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name REPUBLIC
Aircraft Model RC-3
Aircraft Series Identifier RC-3
Aircraft Serial Number 694
Certified Max Gross Weight 2980
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 1063
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM R. AIKENS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 911W. BIG BEAVER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City TROY
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48084
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM R. AIKENS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 911W. BIG BEAVER ROAD
Operator City TROY
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48084
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City HARBOR SPRINGS
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TROY
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --